Ὠκεανὸς

cerulean blue and seafoam greens collide
churn and froth into white foam
the salty swell is mesmerizing,
I cannot take my eyes away.

calm, swelling, rushing, crashing-
repeat.

wind whipping hair
unexpected butterflies flutter by
what in the world?
butterflies at the beach.

tousled by wind and waves
I am a child frolicking with a roaring monster
laughing when it knocks me down
forgetting the danger and the strength;
I just want to play.

my weariness is eroding
water washing away the grit from me
salty spray straight in my face
I laugh, silly and girlish and free
it’s me and the water-unimaginably vast.
undertow pulling me in
calling, whispering, urging, I can hear it:
“come, come, come...”
grinning I give in
swim out, out, out....
farther, farther, farther
siren call of the playful surges
salty foam kissing my mouth
if I hadn’t known better I would have swam
straight out until I couldn’t see the shoreline
and there was nothing but water.

Oh, ocean, how I miss you.